Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid quotes (team release)

(On Real Salt Lake’s midfield . . .) “Well, they pinch their midfield. They play more of a diamond in midfield so their outside midfielders [Will] Johnson and [Ned] Grabavoy really operate more like central midfielders than they do like wide midfielders. They sacrifice a little bit of attacking play and try to build their game around possession in the middle of the field.”(On how to counter Real Salt Lake’s midfield . . .) “When we have the ball, we need to keep the ball. We need to make them defend as much as possible so we need to keep the ball. When they have the ball, we just need to do a good job defensively – talking, shifting, making sure we keep them on the same side of the field.”

(On Nate Jaqua . . .) “Well it’s nice being able to identify and have a solution for what his issues were and his problems were. It was something that was a number of different things but the doctor feels good about the surgery that was performed and hopefully he will be ahead of the timeline that is set for him.”(On Pat Noonan . . .) “I knew what we were getting with Pat in terms of his character and his attitude and how he would fit in. I knew he would fit in with our team. He’s a good soccer player. He knows how to play the game. Now we just need him to give us some of those benefits on the field, get some goals and get some assists. I think he is capable of doing that.”(On facing defending MLS Cup champions for first road match . . .) “We feel good. We felt we were a good road team last year. We feel confident going on the road. Sometimes it’s good to have a change of scenery. We have been at home for the first two games. We felt obviously a little disappointed our last home game but we are excited to be able to go into Salt Lake and anytime you can match against a team that is a quality team it gives you a good idea of where you are at for the season as well.”